Netflix, the online streaming provider that made us a whole lot more addicted to our screens, snuck its way into the bloodstream of film and TV content and completes two stunningly successful decades this year.
House of Cards. Photo Credit Netflix
It’s been five years since the American giant extended its tentacles into production, launching shows like House of Cards and Orange is the New Black. Netflix brought with them their own unique and rewarding formula to making TV shows. One with that had No Pilots, No Ratings and best of all, it offered viewers the chance to dive in their favorite activity… binge-watching.
Since then, they’ve been hitting every ball out of the park with gems like Stranger Things, Narcos, The Crown and A Series of Unfortunate Events. This year, Netflix revealed that they’ve managed to move into homes in over 190 countries around the world. The secret behind the ever expanding empire is fairly easy to see. Netflix has decided to dismiss national borders as a deciding factor in the content that they choose to back.
A fine example of that fact is 3%, an entertaining export from Brazil, that has an entirely Brazilian production team, starring local actors. The show has a massive following in its home country, and thanks to Netflix dubbing it for English-speaking markets, it’s racking up fans across the globe. It has received tremendous positive feedback in the US. The global giant revealed, during a Netflix Labs event, that it has even created an online translation test, called Hermes, that will help it recruit the best foreign talent to dub its shows and movies.
3%. Photo Credit Gizmodo
They have a few other local language productions that are in the pipeline, such as Dark, Netflix’s first German-produced series and Suburra the first production from Netflix Italy. Netflix’s mantra to transcending borders is the key themes running through the shows they launch. All have underlining threads that translate globally.
The expansive plans obviously require some serious dough. And though the giant appears to really have it all, what’s remarkable is the amount they need to spend to feed their ever expanding domain. This year alone, Netflix is shedding two billion dollars solely on European productions. While that sum seems startling enough, it does not take into account the cash that goes into licensing deals. Global content requires the company to be able to guarantee the same content to users from Germany, Korea or Chile.
Addressing the expenditure Reed Hastings, CEO of the giant said…
“So we’ve got this mixed rights situation and what fixes that is money. Because we’d like to be able to get global rights so everybody gets the same great experience. And our originals, are like that, where everybody gets access. But it’s going to take a lot more money than we have now.”
The company is looking at the content it creates through a wide lens. Subtracting borders, and aiming to appease all of us, mere mortals. Netflix is following the breadcrumbs into viewers hearts all across the word. Proof of this was offered through one of their most anticipated partnership when Netflix teamed up with Marvel back in 2013. Since then, they have released four interconnected superhero storylines from the Marvel universe: Daredevil (2015), Jessica Jones (2015), Luke Cage (2016), and, most recently, Iron Fist, which launched in mid-March this year. All four of the shows have been leading up to a team-up to much-anticipated Defenders series that will be launched later this year.
Addressing the joint venture, Cindy Holland, VP of original content acknowledged that the partnership had a lot to do with Netflix’s international plans. she said.
“We have an eye toward brands that work around the world,” “That was definitely a motivation in working with Marvel initially. We knew that Marvel would be better known than Netflix as we expanded globally. And they had such a wealth of characters and great ideas for bringing them together.”
The Defenders. Photo Credit: Netflix
An important aspect that influences global appeal is casting. Incidentally, Netflix appeared to take two steps back in this category with Iron Fist, Netflix’s latest input in the superhero world. Fans of the series were eagerly anticipating an Asian actor as the face of the martial arts drama, arguing that the company blew an opportunity. Netflix cast Finn Jones, the British actor that shot to fame through his short stint on Game of Thrones. His female sidekick in the film is another Brit, Jessica Henwick.
Cindy Holland. VP of Orignal Content. Photo Credit: la-confidential-magazine
While there were rumours circling that Netflix casts its shows based on a whole lot of technical mumbo jumbo and data around whom its members like. Holland has claimed that they try to think globally while signing names for their shows, asserting:
“We actually encourage our producers to think globally, because we’re a global service. We’re not worried about the same five names that can carry a series.”
The beauty of the globalized market for content is the fact that a show never really fares badly. A series that might flop in the US could do brilliantly in Russia, if not there maybe Australia or France is the right market for it. Seems like they’ve thought of it all over there. Twenty years in, Netflix shows zero signs of standing still, and we couldn’t be more excited.